July 31: Blueberry harvest

At the winnower

many hands glean the berries--

there's a metaphor here.

 

 

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May 2: Before the rain

With pending rain, I decided today's walk needed to be faster than my usual slog up Mount Battie. So I hit the trail at Beech Hill Preserve, which is less steep, and tried to hurry. But then I ran into my friend Brian, who walks there daily; he'd had similar thoughts about trying to beat the rain. (He posts a bird report every day from Beech Hill, in poetry form in the past few weeks.) So I spent more time than I'd planned, in the drizzle, but I didn't mind. And I don't think he did either.

Fast morning hike
trying to beat the rain
til I run into an old friend.

November 27: Beech Hill

Along the trail up--

sharing fragrant bayberries

with an amazed child.

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July 7: Blueberry wine

Misty summer night--

drinking blueberry port

Jackie made last summer.

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May 12: In the mist

A scene from "Wuthering Heights"--

misty barrens,

unseen sparrow singing.

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February 1: Embracing the snow

My husband and I snowshoed up Beech Hill in Rockport this morning, in hopes of soaking up as much sunshine as we could before the next snowstorm rolls in tomorrow. The snow was beautiful--pure, fresh, dazzling, patterned with striking shadows and animal tracks.

 

Snowshoeing on Beech Hill--

our path intersects

that of a snowshoe hare.

 

 

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November 15: Across the bay

From atop Beech Hill--

snowy mountains, ice blue bay,

calls of winter finches.

 

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September 13: Aurora Borealis

Up on Beech Hill--

beer bottles from last night's

aurora viewing party.

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August 22: Summer on the hill

Beers on the porch.
Waxwings catch flies in the field,
fly off together.

August 9: Sapsucker

Hiked up Beech Hill today with my birder friend Brian, who goes up there almost every day. He pointed out a pattern of sap wells that a sapsucker had made a few weeks ago, and sure enough, a young sapsucker--hard to pick out in its drab juvenile plumage--was there feeding at them. A hummingbird also buzzed by to check them out, as well as many bee-type insects. A veritable community feeding station.

Sapsucker fledgling
sips from its parents' sap wells
surrounded by bees

August 8: Winnowing

I spent the afternoon selling organic blueberries at the Land Trust's blueberry stand on Beech Hill, as the berry crew worked busily behind me feeding boxes of freshly raked berries through the winnower (which removes the leaves and greenies). Boxes and boxes of berries, berries rolling past on the conveyer, squished on the floor, piling up in buckets...

 

The winnowers

will dream streams of berries,

hear their rolling thunder.

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